The document summarizes the key political events and health policy issues in Washington D.C. for 2016. It outlines the election cycle including primary dates and the national conventions. It also discusses the agenda for the second session of the 114th Congress, focusing on appropriations and legislation around innovation, mental health, and chronic care. Top health care issues to watch include site neutral payments, MACRA implementation, health IT, and the opioid epidemic. Other policy issues include precision medicine, 340B, and the ACA. The document was presented by Julie Shroyer and Cybil Roehrenbeck of Polsinelli PC.

1. The Year Ahead in Washington D.C.
Presented by :
Julie Shroyer and Cybil Roehrenbeck

2. Overview: The Year Ahead
Election Cycle
2nd Session of 114th Congress
Top 5 Health Care Issues to Watch
Health Policy Issues on Deck

3.  Monday, February 1: Iowa Caucus
 Tuesday, February 9: New Hampshire
Primary
 Tuesday, March 1: Super Tuesday
 July 18-21: Republican National
Convention in Cleveland
 July 25-28: Democratic National
Convention in Philly
 Tuesday, November 8: Election Day
 Friday, January 20, 2017: Inauguration
of the 45th President
Election Cycle Overview

4. Election Cycle Overview
JIM
GILMORE

5. Election Cycle Overview
Where the Candidates Stand on Health Care
More to Do Almost There Repeal
HILLARY
CLINTONBERNIE
SANDERS
JEB
BUSH
BEN
CARSON
TED
CRUZ
DONALD
TRUMP

6. Election Cycle Overview
 All 435 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are
up for election.
 34 Senate seats up for election.
 12 Gubernatorial elections
 2 Territorial Governorships
 Several other state and local elections.

7. Agenda for 2nd Session of the
114th Congress
 February 9th: President’s Budget
expected to be released.
 Earlier start to appropriation process.
 Shortened legislative schedule due to
National Conventions.
Since the beginning of 2nd Session of the 114th Congress – January 5, 2016:
 Tighter time frame to tackle the
outstanding policy issues:
 Innovations/21st Century Cures
 Mental Health
 Chronic Care
The House of Representatives are in session 95 days
before adjourning for the election season.
The Senate will be in session for 26 weeks before the election.

8. Top Five Health Care Issue to
Watch
8
November 2,
2015,
Bipartisan
Budget Act of
2015 passes
Bill included
Section 603
“Site
Neutrality”
Provision
Provision
effective
January 1,
2017
CBO
estimated the
new provision
would save $9
billion over 10
years
1) Site Neutral
Payments are
estimated to
decrease hospital
revenue by $1.4
billion a year

9. Top Five Health Care
Issues to Watch
9
2) Hospital Improvement for Payment (HIP) Act
Kevin Brady (R-TX-08)
Chairman
House Ways & Means Committee
• HIP Act discussion draft first unveiled at the end of 113th Congress.
• Medicare reform is a top action item.
• The past HIP Act included the following provisions:
Title I
• A new hospital prospective payment system;
• A new per diem rate for short lengths of stay;
• Repeal of the two-midnights payment reduction; and
• Improvements to the RAC program
Title II includes 19 priority legislative goals
• Potential vehicle for broader legislation.
• Creating a larger Medicare discussion and has seen three bills introduced last year in regard to
this issue:
• The Medicare Crosswalk Hospital Code Development Act of 2015 (H.R. 3291)
• The Strengthening DSH and Medicare Through Subsidy Recapture and Payment Reform Act
of 2015 (H.R. 3288)
• The Medicare IME Pool Act of 2015 (H.R. 3292)

10. Top Five Health Care
Issues to Watch
10
3) Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act
(MACRA)
Value-based Reimbursement
Movement to Alternative
Payment Models
Merit-Based Incentive
Payment (MIPs) System
Implementation Timeline and
How to Prepare
Repealed Medicare Sustainable Growth
Rate (SGR) Formula

11. Top Five Health Care
Issues to Watch
11
4) Health IT
EHRs
Telehealth
mHealth

12. Top Five Health Care
Issues to Watch
12
5) Chronic Care

13. Health Policy Issues on Deck in 2016
Overcoming
Legislative
Obstacles
Streamlining
R&D and
Updating Old
Systems
Embracing
Technology
Precision Medicine - 21st Century Cures - Innovations Legislation

14. Health Policy Issues on Deck in 2016
340B
Affordable Care Act
Implementation
Medical Device Tax

15. Health Policy Issues on Deck in 2016
Mental Health Legislation
S.1945: Mental Health
Reform Act of 2015
H.R. 2646: Helping Families in
Mental Health Crisis Act of 2015

16. Health Policy Issues on Deck in 2016
Opioid Addiction Epidemic
• H.R.953 / S.524 — Comprehensive Addiction and
Recovery Act of 2015
• H.R.1821 / S.707 — Opioid Overdose Reduction Act of
2015
• H.R.2298 — Medicare Patient Safety and Drug Abuse
Prevention Act
• H.R. 2536 — Recovery Enhancement for Addiction
Treatment Act
• H.R. 2805 / S.1134 — Heroin and Prescription Opioid
Abuse Prevention, Education, and Enforcement Act of
2015
• H.R.2850 — Stop Overdose Stat Act of 2015
• H.R. 2872 — Opioid Addiction Treatment Modernization
Act
• H.R. 3014 — Medical Controlled Substances
Transportation Act of 2015
“More Americans now die
every year from drug
overdoses than they do from
motor vehicle crashes.”
- President Obama, Charleston, WV
October 21, 2015

17. Health Policy Issues on Deck in 2016
Last Act: Executive Orders and Regulatory Impacts
During President Obama’s Last Year in Office.

18. Questions?

19. Contact Information
Cybil G. Roehrenbeck
Counsel
Polsinelli PC
1401 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20005
202.777.8931
CRoehrenbeck@Polsinelli.com
Julie Shroyer
Senior Policy Advisor
Polsinelli PC
1401 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20005
202.626.8350
JShroyer@Polsinelli.com

20. real challenges. real answers. sm
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